Colorado Stuns Nebraska, 62-36

Buffs score most points ever against NU

Whatever Nebraska football fans think they smell, it ain’t a bowl of roses.

Colorado’s Chris Brown ran for six touchdowns as the Buffaloes trampled the No. 2 Cornhuskers, 62-36, using a furious ground attack to score the most points ever against an NU team.

The loss demolished NU’s hope of a national title shot in the Rose Bowl, a Big 12 title and, maybe, a berth in a BCS bowl. It almost certainly means that NU quarterback Eric Crouch will no longer be a factor in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Nebraska, going into the game ranked No. 1 in the BCS, fell to 11-1.

Colorado, No. 14 in both major polls, will play for the Big 12 title in Dallas next week. The Buffs are 9-2, and 7-1 in the conference.

In short, it was a dark day in Boulder for Nebraska.

CU Coach Gary Barnett’s protégés ambushed the Huskers with a first-quarter onslaught, knocking holes in the NU defensive line that would have accommodated a real buffalo.

The Buffs ran right at and through the NU defense, which first appeared troubled by over-pursuing. Then, it just looked baffled. ABC TV commentators kept saying: “Where are the Nebraska linebackers?” Then it devolved to questions about the location of the defensive linemen, and the safeties and a defensive strategy in general.

Defensive Coordinator Craig Bohl eventually threw more down linemen at the CU offense and it worked – but only for a series or two.

Throughout the season, NU opponents had success, now and then, with what Colorado succeeded in doing all day – running at the Husker defensive line, and then running for daylight. Colorado linemen opened up those holes real quick, and CU’s ball carriers went through them just as quickly, and not for piddling gains, either. They often chewed up 10 or 15 yards at a time.

Colorado was up, 28-3, when the first quarter ended. And it could have been worse. The Buffs had one touchdown called back. They were already ahead, 14-0, when that happened. It didn’t deter the Buff scoring stampede for long. Colorado scored on its next possession, using a balanced attack that often had the NU defense looking confused and outclassed. NU finally got on the board with a field goal; but even that score represented Nebraska’s failure to capitalize on open receivers and good opportunities to score a touchdown.

Nebraska looked to be getting on track in the second quarter. Sort of. The Huskers scored 20 points via three touchdowns. But they gave up 14 to CU. At one point, Colorado was up, 35-3. Still, three touchdowns in a single period seemed a good omen. (No doubt Colorado fans felt the same way when the Buffs scored four touchdowns in the first quarter). Fullback Steve Kriewald scored on a 24-yard run. I-back Dahrran Diedrick scored twice, on runs of 32 yards and two yards.

The halftime score was Colorado 42, Nebraska 23. Colorado’s tally marked the most points ever scored against NU in a first half. And the Buffs later proved they could maintain that pace.

It was natural for Husker and Colorado fans to figure that the second half would be different. Even Barnett told a TV reporter that he expected Nebraska to “come out smoking” in the third period.

Barnett was right, but only for awhile.

The Huskers took the second half kickoff and marched to the Colorado 1-yard line. But when Diedrick tried to dive over the CU defensive line he fumbled for the second time on the day. Colorado recovered.

Diedrick will probably be targeted for a disproportionate amount of criticism from Husker fans. Everyone will remember that NU had momentum when he fumbled on the CU goal line, and that the comeback effort was stymied. But they also should remember that Colorado had walloped Nebraska in the first half, and after a lackluster third period, continued knocking NU around in the fourth quarter.

The Huskers’ lone third-quarter tally came on a six-yard Crouch scamper. Nebraska clearly dominated the period, but still only managed that lone TD.

So. The fourth quarter started with Colorado ahead, 42-30. But, for Husker faithful, the victory certainly didn’t seem beyond reach. But today it was.

In a little over three minutes, Brown scored three unanswered touchdowns, scoring from the Colorado 1, 13 and 9-yard lines.

Crouch added a score for Nebraska on a seven-yard run with 7:14 left in the game.

And that was it. Colorado 62, Nebraska 36.

Nebraska’s tendency to start very, very slowly contributed, along with lots of other things, to the Huskers’ demise. Nebraska scored just three points in the first period, and that was an improvement over its recent performances. In its previous three games, Nebraska had been held scoreless in the first period.

*While things never looked good for Nebraska, it was clear that the end was at hand in the fourth period. Colorado put together a 93-yard drive that culminated in Brown’s fourth touchdown. There was 12:50 on the clock and CU was up, 49-30. On Nebraska’s next series, Crouch was intercepted and Brown promptly scored his fifth touchdown, going in from the 13.

The final injury, if not insult, came when Crouch was again intercepted. Brown scored again.

Brown gained 198 yards on the ground for CU on 24 tries. Bobby Purify picked up 154 yards and quarterback Bobby Pesavento hit 9-of-16 passes for 202 yards.

Nebraska rolled up lots of yards, too. It just didn’t matter. The Huskers rolled for 552 total yards, Colorado for 582.

_____

Quarters: 1 2 3 4 - F

Nebraska 3 20 7 6 - 36
Colorado 28 14 0 20 - 62

CU - Purify 39 run (Flores kick)
CU - D Graham 21 pass from Pesavento (Flores kick)
CU - Pesavento 1 run (Flores kick)
NU - FG J Brown 27
CU - C Brown 12 run (Flores kick)
CU - C Brown 1 run (Flores kick)
NU - Kriewald 24 run (J Brown kick)
NU - Diedrick 32 run (kick failed)
CU - C Brown 36 run (Flores kick)
NU - Diedrick 2 run (J Brown kick)
NU - Crouch 6 run (J Brown kick)
CU - C Brown 1 run (Flores kick)
CU - C Brown 13 run (2-pt. conv. failed)
CU - C Brown 8 run (Flores kick)
NU - Crouch 7 run (2-pt. conv. failed)

Game Stats: NU CU
First downs 21 25
Passing yards 198 202
Sacked-yards lost 0-0 0-0
Return yards 8 47
Passes 13-28-2 9-16-0
Punts 4-45.0 6-40.0
Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-0
Penalties-yards 8-80 9-75
Time of possession 29:39 30:21
RUSHING: NU-Crouch 18-162, Diedrick 16-94, T Collins 11-61, Kriewald 1-24, J Davies 2-9, W Thomas 1-4. CU-C Brown 24-198, Purify 20-154, Pesavento 3-22, M Houston 2-4, C Johnson 1-3, Drumm 1-0, Team 1-minus 1.
PASSING: NU-Crouch 13-28-2-198. CU-Pesavento 9-16-0-202.
RECEIVING: NU-Gibson 4-37, T Collins 4-19, W Thomas 3-109, Wistrom 2-33. CU-D Graham 4-112, D Mccoy 1-34, M Brunson 1-26, Hollowell 1-13, Cormier 1-10, C Johnson 1-7.

Att: 53,790

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